1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing system and an information processing method, each performing a plurality of tasks.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional multifunction peripherals having functions of, for example, printers, scanners, and facsimiles are capable of performing, on image data captured by, for example, a scanner, a work flow that defines in advance specific steps of a plurality of tasks (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2009-140401). By defining the work flow, the multifunction peripheral can automatically transmit the captured image data to a specified folder or automatically send the captured image data by e-mail.
A known system causes a server to perform a work flow. In this system, a multifunction peripheral transmits captured image data to the server which, in turn, performs a plurality of tasks defined by the work flow. Such a system allows a work flow that may include tasks that the multifunction peripheral may find difficulty in performing (e.g., image correction and character recognition tasks) to be performed.
Hitherto, either the multifunction peripheral or the server performs the work flow. However, the recent improvement made on the functions of the multifunction peripheral enables relatively heavily loaded tasks to be performed. Thus, a need exists to allow the multifunction peripheral and the server to flexibly cooperate with each other to thereby perform the work flow efficiently.
In view of the foregoing situation, there is a need to provide an information processing system and an information processing method that cause a plurality of information processing apparatuses to cooperate and efficiently perform a plurality of tasks defined by work flow information.